Alongside its pristine beaches and lush rainforests, Sri Lanka is famed for having one of the world’s richest stores of gemstones. Indeed, its deposits of colourful sapphires, tourmalines, topazes and citrines, among other species, have earned it the moniker “Gem Island” and attracted treasure hunters to its shores for centuries.

And yet, until recently, every time seasoned jewellery editor Jessica Diamond tried to buy her own sapphire on one of her regular trips to the island, she came away empty handed. Despite being an industry pro whose work has appeared in British Vogue, Condé Nast Traveller and The Sunday Times, she claims she ‘never felt 100 per cent confident that I was being offered a fair price, or that what I was being shown was of good quality and responsibly sourced’. This disappointment eventually led to a conversation last spring with Joanna Hardy, the gemmologist, author and BBC Antiques Roadshow expert, about creating a bespoke travel experience for other jewellery lovers who want to source their own loose gemstone and have it transformed into a meaningful piece of jewellery.

‘Because of my job, I’m lucky enough to know what a luxury-hosted trip should entail, and Joanna is an incredible gemmologist with the best contacts in the  industry. She literally wrote the book on sapphires,’ says Diamond. ‘We know the island really well and also have contacts on the ground, so the idea came about fairly quickly.’ By last summer, the pair had launched Hardy & Diamond, Gemstone Journeys, with the aim of demystifying the process of gemstone buying and offering curious travellers a memorable experience at the same time.

Taking place this autumn, Hardy & Diamond’s first trip will be a curated five-night “gem retreat”based at the stylish Malabar Hill hotel, on the south coast. After-dinner talks, led by Hardy – an experienced and entertaining speaker – will revolve around Sri Lanka’s history as “the jewel box of the Indian Ocean”, and prepare guests for a trip to a local artisanal mine. ‘The amazing thing about Sri Lanka is that… the vast majority of stones are sourced on a smaller scale, usually from alluvial deposits, and mines are passed down through families for generations. Their existence supports entire communities,’ explains Diamond. ‘We will be working with owners that we trust, so people can really see what responsible mining looks like.’

Results from one of the working mines

Later, the group will travel to another luxurious location, the architecturally lauded Trebartha East The Round House, to meet a selection of meticulously vetted gem dealers. ‘The whole day will be very relaxed, with zero pressure. You can meet everyone, have a swim and come back to look at the jewels in your own time. Everything will be fairly priced, and Joanna and I will be there to offer as much help as people need, so the whole experience can be as special and joyful as it should be,’ Diamond says. Also on the itinerary is a tour around the estate of visionary Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Manning Bawa, and a visit to Galle Fort, a historic Unesco World Heritage Site, to satisfy cultural cravings. In addition, guests can call on Diamond’s extensive local knowledge, should they need recommendations for a fabulous cocktail bar, or the best place to watch baby turtles emerging from their nests.

Once home, Hardy & Diamond can introduce guests to a host of contemporary jewellers who will cast their Sri Lankan gemstone into a unique souvenir of their journey. The pair can also offer advice, if needed, during the design process, and will take no commission on any pieces made. ‘Times are challenging, especially for independent designers, so this is a way for us to support the industry,’ explains Diamond. ‘I love the idea of opening people’s eyes to a whole new world of jewellery and helping them to be a little braver in their design choices, in a process that’s entirely warm and not in the least bit intimidating.’

The beauty of Sri Lanka

So far, Diamond says, interest in the Gemstone Journey has been ‘amazing’, especially among female travellers and couples from the UK and the USA, and there have also been enquiries from jewellery brands about organising trips for their own clientele. ‘There’s a huge awareness now about the provenance of gemstones, and a realisation that there is luxury in knowing exactly what you’re buying and who you’re buying it from,’ she notes.

If successful, Hardy & Diamond hope to add other jewel-studded destinations to their roster.‘Imagine visiting Japan to buy pearls or touring the annual gemstone fair in Arizona,’ says Diamond. ‘We could go for a sunrise hike through the desert, choose incredible gemstones in the same place as the industry’s best buyers and celebrate it all with delicious margaritas. It would be the dream.’

hardydiamond.com